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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 25 Apr 1990

Vol. 397 No. 9

Written Answers. - Official Development Assistance.

Peter Barry

Question:

75 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the level of Ireland's overseas development aid contribution expressed as a percentage of Ireland's Gross National Product in each of the years from 1986 to 1989 inclusive; the proposed contribution for 1990; the way in which this compares with other EC countries; and if the Government intend to take any action to increase our contribution.

The Government remains committed to achieving the UN target of 0.7 per cent of GNP for Official Development Assistance. No date has ever been set for the achievement of this target and in the present budgetary circumstances it is not possible to do so. It is, however, the intention of the Government to work towards it as economic circumstances permit.

The following is the statistical information sought:

1. Ireland's ODA as a percentage of GNP for the years 1986-1989 — 1986 outturn, 0.25 per cent; 1987 outturn, 0.22 per cent; 1988 outturn, 0.18 per cent; 1989 (provisional), 0.17 per cent. (Based on national statistics).

2. Proposed ODA contribution 1990 — £34.466 million that is 0.16 per cent of GNP.

3. Comparison with other EC countries — The figures below are compiled from the OECD Development Assistance Committee statistics. Figures are not yet available for 1989. This series is compiled on the basis of annual commitments, rather than payments actually made which is the basis of Irish national statistics used for the figures at one above.

Total ODA as a Percentage of GNP for EC Member States 1986-1988

Country

1986

1987

1988

Belgium

0.48

0.48

0.40

UK

0.31

0.28

0.32

Denmark

0.89

0.88

0.89

France (including DOM/TOM)

0.70

0.74

0.72

(excluding DOM/TOM)

0.48

0.51

0.50

Germany

0.43

0.39

0.39

Greece*

0.09 (est)

0.05 (est)

0.07 (est)

Ireland

0.28

0.19

0.20

Italy

0.40

0.35

0.39

Luxembourg

0.22

0.24

0.29

Netherlands

1.01

0.98

0.98

Portugal

0.08

0.08

0.20 (est)

Spain

0.09

0.06

0.07

Source: OECD Development Assistance Committee.
* The OECD secretariat say that the figures from Greece are based mainly on information about multilateral aid. The 1986 and 1987 figures contain a small part of bilateral aid but the 1988 figure has none. In the OECD view all figures are probably under-estimations.
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